So you want or need a video surveillance camera for the security of your home or for your business? Or perhaps, as the security manager at your company, you are looking to improve your existing surveillance system? Hopefully the following brief article will assist in your investigation so you can avoid having to do a ‘stakeout’ at your favorite electronics store.

Whether thinking about installing your own monitoring and security system or scrutinizing companies who offer services, research is important to help you become an informed user of surveillance technologies. The equipment market for surveillance is highly competitive with thousands of products readily available from hundreds of sources. With all the confusing choices, your job as a purchaser can be very overwhelming. Become better informed about closed circuit television (CCTV) video surveillance. Perhaps these are some of the questions which quickly come to mind?

• What type of surveillance camera do I need?

• Do I need a weatherproof security camera?

• What are the basic components of a CCTV surveillance system?

• What options are available for digital video recorders (DVR)?

• Who can install the equipment for me?

• How do I choose between wired or wireless camera systems?

• Where do I buy a nanny cam?

• What capabilities should I be looking for in a camera and recording system?

• How can I get the best images on my security systems?

• When do I need an infrared night vision camera?

Before you start your web research on product offerings or talk to vendors, you want to know the answer to these questions:

1. How many locations do I want to watch?

2. Where can I mount the cameras?

3. Where will the central recording device be located?

4. When will the cameras be monitored; monitored live or playback?

5. What is the lighting in the target area?

6. Do the cameras require physical protection from the elements?

7. How long do I need to keep the recordings?

Security Camera Systems, Video Surveillance Systems or CCTV Systems are all common names used for electronic systems comprised of security cameras, video recorders and other equipment used in viewing and recording events in facilities and more. Although the first security camera systems were limited and costly, systems today are used for a wide variety of applications including medical imagery, robotics, traffic control, marketing, production line monitoring and more. There are three main types of systems available:

1. Analog Systems – Quickly becoming extinct, these were the first systems and used analog VHS records and digital security cameras.

2. Digital Video Systems – These systems primarily record output from digital cameras to computer hard drives called Digital Video Records (DVRs.)

3. Network Security Systems – Also known as IP Video Surveillance, these are the newest and state-of-art breed for systems. Greater versatility is provided through use of network security cameras and IP cameras.

Although the product selection is vast, there are a few component areas which you should be aware of as your educate yourself on these systems. Outlined below, we discuss the video camera, lenses, camera housing,

One of the most basic specifications of the security camera (or CCTV) is the format of the camera and lenses. Most popular for security work are the ¼" and 1/3" cameras. Lenses need to match the camera format. Another aspect of the camera is the resolution (TVL); 300 is low-end, 400 is good for security work, and 500 is high quality. The higher the resolution, the more detail you will see. Make sure that all of your equipment can handle the same resolution. It will do you no good to have a high quality (500 TVL) camera if your monitor can only display 400 TVL.

Today there is little difference between black and white cameras and color cameras; color video is far more effective when trying to pinpoint problems and identify suspects. Most new color cameras also have the ability to switch to a black and white mode. This is extremely helpful and work better in low-light situations.

For video surveillance cameras installed in one location permanently, fixed-focus lenses are the most cost-effective. If you need the ability to move your camera, to change your field of view, then adjustable variable focus lenses should be your choice. If you need remote operation of your camera, then you would be looking at a camera with pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) capabilities. Beware, these can cost up to ten times as much as a standard fixed camera.

Security camera housing units or enclosures are manufactured for numerous indoor and outdoor applications. These applications range from simple weatherproofing to enclosures designed for high security in prisons, marine environments, traffic and transit areas, etc. Experts can help guide on your specific application requirements.

Don’t be in the dark about how infrared illumination for your surveillance system. Infrared Illuminators or IR Illuminators are used to improve surveillance camera performance in low-light or night situations. Distance and beam spread will determine what you require.

Video surveillance can be combined with alarm systems to provide even better detection and deterrence for your property. Fire alarm systems are typically mandated in all homes and businesses, but movement detectors, magnetic reed switches, and duress or panic assistance are other types of alarm systems in use today. Door entry systems have become even more sophisticated with advance biometric technologies.